There are four general aspects to the larger Trump legacy term that are starting to become very visible. This is the era when political change starts to become visible in real terms. We are all in the front row, on the cusp of a historic moment.
♦ The four generalized fronts are: (1) The economic front, which will be both domestic (Main St) and foreign (multinationals) as executed. (2) The IC/Justice front, which is inherently domestic. (3) The Legislative Branch front, this is where DOGE (Dept of Government Efficiency) comes into play; and lastly (4) The Dept of State confrontation with allies and enemies on all three other fronts.
Within #3, the legislative branch battle against the executive, this is where the spending issue, the purse strings, the power center dynamic over taxpayer distribution will be fought through the Dept of Government Efficiency, or DOGE led by Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy and a few key allies in both the House and Senate.
Because the nature of the DOGE battle is centered around money, the root issue is ultimately who controls the power within Washington DC. Control the money and you control the power. Inside this battle over spending the historic dynamic of the UniParty will be visible. Remember, Democrats want power, Republicans want money.
Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer have already started to position their defenses against DOGE and Trump {SEE HERE}. The committee chairs and vice-chairs are selected to keep the power of control of spending away from DOGE/Trump. Republican Chair Susan Collins, appointed by Thune/McConnell will not willingly let DOGE/Trump interfere in the way the Senate assigns funds. Ultimately this distribution is their power center.
DOGE is reported to be looking carefully at the Impoundment Control Act, challenging the system that places limits on a president’s ability to unilaterally withhold funding. According to Politico, Musk and Ramaswamy “believe the Supreme Court, which has three justices nominated by Trump, would be favorable to them.” The bottom line is the Executive v Legislative battle, where President Trump is going to try and reduce the size of government while congress keeps spending to maintain it.
In commonly held wisdom, traditional conservatives have always said government was spending too much, and reducing spending will limit the scale and reach of government. However, those same traditional “conservative” voices who call for spending cuts are the same people who previously called for ‘Obamacare repeal’, and when given the chance to do it – they disappeared. The Republican wing of the UniParty is full of those false conservatives, that’s why I call them DeceptiCONS.
One of the key people from inside the republican ranks on the upper chamber, is Senator Jodi Ernst. Currently she is positioning herself for influence and assist with DOGE; however, Ernst is not an honest broker when it comes to actually delivering a result. Like many of her colleagues, Ted Cruz, James Lankford and Mike Lee as examples, they talk a good game, write good op-eds, appear on Fox News, send strongly worded letters, and then do nothing.
Musk has the tool to drag these Republican DeceptiCONS into the sunlight via Twitter and a high dose of brutal honesty. However, before they accept the burn from sunlight, they will predictably seek comfort behind the protection of the lobbyists who fund the RNC, and the skirt of John Thune.
The voice of Mitch McConnell looms over the entire dynamic like the universal message in 2010 Space Odyssey, “All these worlds are yours, except Europa, attempt no landing there.” McConnell assuredly hoping to cement his legacy by creating an omnipotent and powerful Senate, far beyond the reach of any White House, temporary DOGE movement, or even voter intent.
[Politico Article Here]
I like the position that President Trump has taken amid this entire dynamic. Remember, he previously was burned by the DeceptiCONs when he gave them the option to repeal Obamacare.
President Trump has a priority agenda to create something much bigger than all of the component parts. RFK JR challenging food and health, Elon Musk challenging government size/spending, while President Trump focuses on the Trump Doctrine (economics and national security).
I think I’ve written it here several times, that any president’s greatest power is the veto, but it is rarely used. Maybe this time!
Trump vetoes of rinoRat=democRat $pending Omnibust bills would be fun to see.
The Executive shutting the Feral Grub&Mint down. Singing “Happy Days are Here Again” to just rub it in on the Proggies
The “Trump spending” includes when the vichy republicans joined with the communists to override Trumps veto of their massive spending bill. You will often hear vichy republicans cite “the Trump spending”. They claim to care so much because they’re so fiscally responsible. It’s usually like “I’m a staunch conservative and I oppose Trump because he spent like the dems!”. Not serious people.
This time it will be the Impoundment Control Act. Trump will simply say, sorry, we are not spending on this, this, this, or this. Sue me, and good luck with that. We the people will support him, his approval will go up to more than 60%, and the Supreme’s will not dare to go against him. So let it be.
This job to stop the theft and spending of the Americans treasure,is going to be tough.These are heavily entrenched political mafia members.Like Leaches may have to take a Zippo and burn their slimy butts off our hides.
The thieving and spending will stop one day.Then the vermin will run to a safe haven were they have stashed their ill gotten gains,and leave us holding the bag along with the job of suffering and cleaning up their mes. Then after a long period of time ,their progeny will surface again and the thieving deceit and crimes against humanity start again.Those who can do,those who can’t . Go into academia/teaching and Politics and government beaurocracy.
Thank you, Sundance!
Almost 57% of our expenditures reside in three agencies.
HHS is #1 at $2,864,471,437,234 which is 23.39% of the total.
Treasury is #2 at $2,203,032,212,292 which is 17.99% of the total.
DOD is #3 at $1,991,791,156,125 which is 16026 % of the total.
Not listed is IC expenditures *estimated* to be in the range of $65,ooo,ooo,000/year. The actual number is considered to be top secret.
That is where you start to cut.
But then, go look at the list of other spending line items we spend BILLIONS of dollars on annually.
And read the justification for the expenditures. It is ridiculous!
Any one of us could resolve the budget crisis in a weekend. No different than doing a budget for you household.
The other thing to remember is our government does not use a budget!?! So many of these expenditures are based on what was actually spent and then our government adds to that for inflation so the renewal is on auto pilot.
Just go look at this spending schedule published by our government. It will break your heart. We have been blind and lazy. Our representatives have truly failed us on every level and have broken their oaths to serve us whom they represent.
https://www.usaspending.gov/agency
Thing is none of this is relevant, it’s an agenda to destroy America and those in charge will literally burn it all down before we get our nation back. Vivek and Elon are the bomb squad basically, defusing the nuke in our nation.
To defuse the bomb “cut the blue wire.”
yes, cut the blue wire… first. Then cut the red wire.
Recurring contracts that have to get fixed or nixed is your “auto-pilot”
Most are being awarded to minority and women owned businesses in what can only considered a sham (front companies coming in as the face of the contract, but others doing the actual filling… the front co takes its cut and of course the contracts are all marked up for that)
Much of the corruption in Houston & Harris County in which it resides has recently come to light with many Covid-era no-bid contracts being granted to single person companies with no prior history in the business related to awarded contacts. The corruption is deep at ALL levels of Government and I imagine we will all be surprised to learn how much our taxes would decrease if we cut out all the waste & corruption.
Weren’t CorruptoCovid Contracts like that one of Tampon Tim’s specialities?
Correct me if I’m wrong (show your work, please) – but cutting our expenditures – even by significant amounts – will not materially affect out taxation level. At best, it might allow reducing how much our government has to borrow (aka – print into existence), NTTARWT.
And that’s a bad thing? Maybe we can finally put the taxes towards paying off our national debt.
Clap clap N G O!
Clap clap N G O!
Clap clap N G O!
And cya was their name, O!
I can attest to that for a lot of state contracts also.
The vast bulk of HHS funding is DEI hires and programs and the funding for illegal aliens, and refugees. As well as for some of the subsidies for guest workers.
As long as Musk and Ramaswamy are wacking whole areas of bloated government, hopefully they’ll start by cutting the NSC down by about 95%.
Medicare and Medicaid are the vast bulk of the HHS budget and are politically untouchable.
Another untouchable is the Social Security Administration which used to be an HHS department, but congress made it an independent agency a while back, supposedly immune to POTUS control.
It will be interesting to see how the SCOTUS ruling on executive authority will impact all of the “independent’ agencies.
Mitch mcconnell isn’t coherent, so who is pulling his strings
The same people who were pulling his strings when he “was” coherent.
My hunch is Chinese.
Black eye incoming, Harry Reid style?
The CCP!
We are looking for justice. But Schumer said they can get you 6 ways from Sunday. I just hope MAGA can get McConnell with one of those 6 ways.
The Democrats/Communists had the formula….stick your head up out of the foxhole and you will get it. A once in a generation person stood in the way……publically alone most of the time. President Trump is bigger than words can describe.
But the attacks Trump took kept most of the others deep in their foxholes. If we can do that to McConnell, the rest of the UniParty Decepticons on our side will fold like a cheap shirt. It is not retribution, it will be justice. I pray they get what they deserve.
MAGA has been taken over by Ramaswamy and his cronies with the help of Vance, they define making America great means treating corporate interests as owners of America and the citizens as chattel.
Doomer.
The way to bring this to a head is with the veto. It takes 67 votes to override, so it can only happen if 20 “Republican” senators sign off with all 47 Dems. If Trump just plays hard ball, he can shine a lot of sunlight on the Mike Lee’s of this world.
That already happened in Trumps first term.
Time for COS Article V that says congress (besides term limits) MUST pass a BALANCED budget each year. Americans are tired of them spending us into uncontrollable debt. They got their millions so they aren’t going to suffer when America goes broke. But, I guarantee you when that happens, people will be scouring the street looking for these politicians to hang.
Please do not fall for the dangerous, reckless Article V Constitutional Convention. Since the reason we are in the shape we are is due to not enforcing our US Constitution, what makes you think these same people will now follow a document that you change? The Constitution is not the problem, it is the solution. Many of our Founders and many other brilliant minds have warned us through the ages, NOT to call for an Article V Convention. James Madison said he trembled at the thought of opening our Constitution to another Convention. Regardless of what Mark Meckler, Michael Farris and the numerous “celebrity” conservatives tell us, there are no guardrails to anything once the process starts. Let’s use what the Founders gave us in Article VI to restrain our out of control government.
Exactly, the article 5 con con started by secretly being funded by Soros and has been pushed by neocons that infiltrated the teaparty movement. All at the time the majority of state legislatures (35 or 37 needed), those who could use an article 5 convention, in the country were democrat controlled and would be able to tear up the constitution
For the uninformed sissy’s:
Busting the Myths About Article V Conventions
Robert G. Natelson, 10.24.2024
…”Constitutional amendments can protect liberty, but we are too cautious about the procedures to propose them.”…
…”The Constitution’s Article V permits constitutional amendments through a state-based process of proposal and ratification.
The Framers designed this procedure to enable the states to bypass Congress while correcting or curbing a dysfunctional or abusive federal government.”..,
The Rationale and Structure of Article V
(In 1789) …”When the Committee of Style produced a draft that seemed to allow only Congress to propose amendments, the delegates promptly altered it to empower a convention representing the state legislatures to propose as well.
George Mason of Virginia pointed out that without a way to bypass an abusive Congress, “no amendments of the proper kind would ever be obtained by the people, if the Government should become oppressive.”…
The History Behind Article V’s “Convention for Proposing Amendments”
…”Founding-era “conventions of the states” were diplomatic meetings among sovereigns modeled in international practice. As a result of a century of experience, their protocols were well established.
Here’s how the process worked:
First, a state legislature (or occasionally Congress or a prior convention) would issue a “call” (invitation) to all or some other states to meet at a particular time and place to discuss particular subjects.
Second: The legislatures of the invited states would decide whether to participate. Some proposed conventions, such as one to consider navigation of the Delaware River and the Chesapeake Bay, never met.
Third: If the invited states decided to participate, they selected, commissioned, and instructed their commissioners to meet at the time and place designated in the call. Like other agents, the commissioners were bound by their instructions.
Fourth: Upon gathering, the group would adopt rules, elect officers, and proceed to business. Since these were meetings among sovereignties, each state delegation cast one vote.
Fifth: The gathering considered whether to make proposals to the legislatures that had sent them. Some conventions, such as the one in York Town in 1777, reached no conclusion. But most negotiated and issued specific proposals.
Article V at the Constitutional Convention and After
…”In September, 1786, an interstate convention met in Annapolis to discuss issues of trade.
Commissioners from the five states present decided that their representation was not sufficient to take up that issue, so they recommended to the states sending them that they attend a wider convention in May of the following year.
This wider convention would “take into consideration the situation of the United States, to devise such further provisions … to render the constitution of the Federal Government adequate to the exigencies of the Union.”
Note that under the dominant usage of the time (reflected in the Declaration of Independence as well), the term “constitution” referred to the entire political system, not to any particular document.”…
The Rules Governing Article V Conventions
The combination of constitutional text, history, and case law clarifies the composition and protocols of a “Convention for proposing Amendments.”
Here are some more details:
To trigger the procedure, a state legislature transmits to Congress a contingent demand (called an “application”) for a convention on one or more subjects. This demand is conditional on two-thirds of all the state legislatures submitting applications on matching topics.
If two-thirds of the state legislatures apply on matching topics, Congress must call a convention limited to those topics. We know that the call is mandatory from the wording of Article V (“shall call”) and from ratification-era commentary, such as Federalist #85: “The words of this article are peremptory.
The Congress ‘shall call a convention.’ Nothing in this particular is left to the discretion of that body.” And we know the topics must be matching, both from controlling historical practice and from other ratification-era commentary.”…
Fostering Disinformation and Correcting the Record
After the Constitution was adopted, limited-subject conventions of states (both national and regional) continued to be held: at Hartford in 1814, Nashville in 1850, Montgomery, Alabama and Washington, DC in 1861, and St. Louis in 1889. (The Washington, DC gathering was functionally an amendments convention in every detail except constitutional power.)
During the nineteenth century, no one seems to have doubted that an amendments convention was a gathering of the same general kind as these.”…
https://lawliberty.org/busting-the-myths-about-article-v-conventions/
Exposed: George Soros launches campaign against Convention of States
EXPOSED: George Soros launches campaign against Convention of States
You’re clearly uninformed:
Article V – Amendment
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.
The Founders wrote it. It is dangerous?
Just ask a simple question:
How many states to ratify any proposed amendments?
I couldn’t agree more DT, you outlined it well. Fact is the idea of a con-con having no guard rails has precedents. The original convention was held for the purpose of tweaking the Articles of Confederation. Instead they did a total rewrite and gave us our Constitutional Republic. Anyone that suggests there would be guard rails is a liar and I would question their agenda.
YSFOSIP.
Big difference between a Constitutional Convention and a Convention of States.
Article V concerns only the proposal and passage of Amendments by two different methods. It is not hard to read because it is short and straight forward. An Article V Convention of States is to propose amendments. Congress can propose Amendments. When either method passes a proposed Amendment, it gets sent to the states to be ratified by 3/4ths of them. The whole point of this option being in the Constitution is to get around an unresponsive Congress.
It is so simple I don’t understand all the fear and confusion.
There is a world of difference between an Article V Convention of States and a Constitutional Convention. Did you fear when Congress fell one vote short of passing a balanced budget amendment to be sent to the states for ratification? Read Article V. It deals mainly with two methods of sending Amendment proposals to be ratified or not by 3/4ths of the state legislatures. One is through Congress, and the other is through an Article Five Convention of states. There is no Constitutional Convention language anywhere.
That law already exists. They just ignore it.
4-5 Two Amendments to Limit Federal Spending and Taxing
———
4. Spending
SECTION 1: Congress shall establish a preliminary fiscal year budget no later than the first Monday in May for the following fiscal year, and submit said budget to the President for consideration.
SECTION 2: Shall Congress fail to adopt a final fiscal year budget prior to the start of each fiscal year, which shall commence on October 1 of each year, and shall the President fail to sign said budget into law, an automatic, across-the-board, 5 percent reduction in expenditures from the prior year’s fiscal budget shall be imposed for the fiscal year in which the budget has not been adopted.
SECTION 3: Total outlays for the federal government for any fiscal year shall not exceed its receipts for that fiscal year.
SECTION 4: Total outlays for the federal government for each fiscal year shall not exceed 17.5 percent of the Nation’s gross domestic product for the previous calendar year.
SECTION 5: Total receipts shall include all receipts of the United States Government but shall not include those derived from borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of the United States Government except those for the repayment of debt principal.
SECTION 6: Congress may provide for a one-year suspension of one or more of the preceding sections in this Article by a three-fifths vote of both Houses of Congress, provided the vote is conducted by a roll call vote and sets forth the specific excess of outlays over receipts or outlays over 17.5 percent of the Nation’s gross domestic product.
SECTION 7: The limit of the debt of the United States held by the public shall not be increased unless three-fifths of both Houses of Congress shall provide for such an increase by a roll call vote.
SECTION 8: This Amendment shall take effect in the fourth fiscal year after its ratification.
——-
5. Taxing
SECTION 1: Congress shall not collect more than 15 percent of a person’s annual income, from whatever source derived. “Person” shall include natural and legal persons.
SECTION 2: The deadline for filing federal income tax returns shall be the day before the date set for elections to federal office.
SECTION 3: Congress shall not collect tax on a decedent’s estate.
SECTION 4: Congress shall not institute a value-added tax or national sales tax or any other tax in kind or form.
SECTION 5: This Amendment shall take effect in the fourth fiscal year after its ratification.
———————
Mark R. Levin, The Liberty Amendments; Restoring The American Republic
(New York, NY, USA: Threshold Editions, Simon & Schuster, Inc., 2013)
APPENDIX, THE AMMENDMENTS, pages 209-219
http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Liberty-Amendments/Mark-R-Levin/9781451606324
WHY DOES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OWN SUCH VASR QUANTITIES OF LAND IN THE WEST?
Sell some land to AMERICANS and AMERICAN companies – and route 100% of the monies to paying off debt!
Could we raise a few Trillion?
Return the land to the States; let the States decide how they want to use and/or distribute the land and the resources on under or above (air rights) it.
No more selling US land to corporations. They are not America first but globalist. I’m for selling that land to citizens (not foreigners) especially ranchers and farmers. If oil, mine etc companies seek use it must be via a not long lease and require accountability. Corporations are not citizens and should never again be allowed to be treated as such. Their owners might be but the business as an entity is not
The Federal Government once owned vast lands in the east but returned it to the states. Trump should do the same in the west. Let the states decide how to best use this land. Rather than pay of the debt, enhance growth greatly. Inflation is percent price increase on top of percent price increase on top of percent price increase. It is destructive in that it destroys the value of the dollar and the purchasing power of we the people. Growth is the opposite of inflation and has a similar compounding but beneficial effect on the purchasing power and the value of the dollar. This is the way. So let it be.
Ernst is looking for a way in to sabotage DOGE. She wants to be given access to who they are targeting and internal messaging but DOGE is going to be transparent.
Ernst’s term ends in 2026. With proper funding of a MAGA candidate, Iowans just might primary her. So DOGE has leverage over her.
The following thought is like theoretical vs applied science; what could be to what is. You want to kneecap these SOB’s? President Trump as CIC of the military should start the return of all our military overseas assets. I know the ramifications of all of this; logistical, legal, political, etc., etc., are very great, but if you want to gain real not just lip service leverage, just do it.
Slight variation. England and much of western Europe is lost. I would move out of western Europe into Poland and the Slavic states and perhaps Norway and Sweden. Exit NATO and create a second purely defensive union.
shutdown databases, end Senators loyalty to the Spy System.
Against all odds PDJT is alive, and won and has surrounded himself with a great team in this singular moment in American history. The Democrat-Media Complex is in disarray, and only a relative handful of decepticons stand in the way of the maga agenda. We’re the Zulus and are at the moment in Isandlwana where we’ve breached the enemy front, and have the initiative, and imo it’s critical to press the attack (politically) without quarter for the McTurkey gang. Take them down by any means, fair or unfair, by focusing America’s attention on their weakest links.
Btw, great analogy of Elon as Hal…. lol.
Yes, it is time to Fight! Fight! Fight! (Politically without quarter!) Love it!
Into the fire we go.
My hope is that Elon’s experts are scouring the entire United States Code for vulnerabilities using AI.
Oh come on, Musk’s Chinese communist controlled AI network. You trust that?
Is “Mary” a chinese asset?
Doomer.
And the budget. Imagine a deep scrutiny by AI.
He will forever be known as Eyepatch McCain here in Texas.
One of the interesting things Trump can do is shut down the government by veto or asking for no budget, just oversight. Without a budget (shutdown) Trump gets to spend the money as it comes in on a rolling basis, roughly two trillion less than with a budget, and he gets the flexibility to end useless DOGE items. Ask for or veto get a shutdown that lasts a year, when everyone realizes the world did NOT end because we didn’t spend the extra 2 trillion, his point and budget is made.
McConnell and Schumer lost. MAGA cannot be slow rolled here.
mitch has frozen a few times in public and was led away,(previous head injury)he has one foot in the hereafter in my opinion,and may not make it to inauguration day RIP
“. . . they talk a good game, write good op-eds, appear on Fox News, send strongly worded letters, and then do nothing.”
Republicans are not the good guys.
I do not recommend putting them all in the same bucket. Most, but not all. Probably somewhere in the range of 20% MAGA, 30% sheep, and 50% Demonic and uniparty traitors.
Joni Earnst ran on cutting the “pork” out of Government and has not done a damn thing since being in office except a shadow to McConnell when they are sending our money to Ukraine!
^^^^^^ a million
She did have one of the all – time best campaign ads during her inaugural run for the Senate.
Attacking on all fronts at once depletes the enemy’s defensive capability.
As that now famous 34th Infantry Division motto goes: “Attack! Attack! Attack!”
Wow – it takes Politico to report on this? LOL. FOX won’t dare touch it, controlled puppets of RINOS. Now we have Elon Musk another brave fighter. He towers over all of congress. Trump does to.
“One of the key people from inside the republican ranks on the upper chamber, is Senator Jodi Ernst. Currently she is positioning herself for influence and assist with DOGE; however, Ernst is not an honest broker when it comes to actually delivering a result. Like many of her colleagues, Ted Cruz, James Lankford and Mike Lee as examples, they talk a good game, write good op-eds, appear on Fox News, send strongly worded letters, and then do nothing.”
Salient point. A corollary or follow up point might be– these people are all elected. The question that results from that might be–why do so many Trump voters keep putting these red teamers into congress, who then oppose his agenda? I’m starting to suspect that Trump might only be able to get certain things done, things possible via executive power, because his voters keep electing congresspeople at odds with his policies.
Some of those you mentioned President Trump supported or they would have probably lost.
Certainly some who weren’t on board the train did lose their seat because of it, ca-13 being one of the most clear examples, even without the last minute cali-steal, as djt won that same district easily by 5pt. Rich Barris has gone over this time and times again pre-election and with the final data post… generally those on the train benefited from some coat tails, the ‘generic republican’ absolutely did not.
A lot of it (using NC as an example) they either don’t get primaried, or if there is a really good primary opponent, the RNC will add a couple of more to the primary list to split the vote. Oh, also, Dems are allowed to crossover to vote in the R primary.
Exciting. : )
Ultra-MAGA! Bitches…
As others have said many times, Musk and as Trump once referred to him, ViFake Ramaswamy are not trustworthy. Taxpayers are billed over one trillion for corporate subsidies yearly and more at the same time to subsidize foreign visa workers that Musk, Thiel and others demand. For all his one, two three word exclamatory responses on twitter Musk NEVER touches on the government waste he profits from. Mark my words, all he wants to do is gain control of funding and steal it. The same with ViFake
“Mary”, are you shilling for the chinese?
Doomer.
Give both men the benefit of the doubt but keep a jaundiced eye on both of them. I call the Cincinnati brahmin “Slick Vik Obamaswamy”.
I for one am looking forward to bidding on all the (likely unused) surplus Government equipment that’s certain to hit the auction blocks during this administration!
Elon and Vivek penned a deeply immature Op-Ed in the WSJ. They’re basically high school level self-described libertarians and let’s not kid ourselves that they are some kind of geniuses when it comes to crafting effective government.
Right now, the administrative state serves the Chamber of Commerce. Let’s call it Old Big Business” (OBB). The Elon/Vivek idea that “illegal rules” (also known as implementing regulations) hamper business or innovation is not entirely correct. Maybe not even mostly correct. From the over-reaching influence of the Chamber, the rules generally serve Old Big Business at the expense of smaller business (that’s the real dirty little secret about the administrative state, and why Mitch McConnell wants to protect it). Many regs that “exceed congressional mandates” don’t do so at the expense of big business, but actually to serve OBB.
It’s obvious that Elon and Vivek ultimately want to replace OBB interests with the AI-fueled Tech vision of world-domination. They’re Tech Bros with a fever dream.
Deep skepticism warranted here.
Cutting does not require genius, just common sense and courage.
When you’re up against established politicians defending themselves with YOUR money, you’d better make your strikes fast, deep and deadly! The longer they’ve been there, the more House or Senate rules they have broken! This calls for Saul Alinsky’s 4th Rule for Radicals and that is: “Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules.”. They have “rules” for investments that are commonly shattered every day. They have rules of illicit sexual conduct that is rampant. Rules about attendance, nepotism, relationships, etc. Find them, collect them and use them at the right time for the right purpose!
YOU TOO CAN BE A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER!
Most bureaucracies fall under the President. One way to shrink them is for the President’s Executive Branch to do everything possible to prevent the replacement of retirees. A LOT of the worst bureaucrats are old.
Not near fast enough. Shut down half the programs and agencies, fire half the remaining employees and contractors, and reduce the wages of the remaining by 40%. Easy, peasy.
I like the strategy of challenging the Impoundment Control Act. Congresss shouldn’t be able to restrict the executive like that.
He is attacking on multiple fronts, simultaneously, can we say blitzkrieg?
And, finally at long last the battle is being taken directly to the Decepticons, where it always belonged.
People ask can MAGA be maintained, post-Trump.
I would say, if the Decepticons still retain control over both houses of Congress when PDJT completes his second term, MAGA will be eroded.
IF he can unseat the 20 or so in the Senate, and 50 or so in the House, then MAGA can thrive.
That is what Biden did to us. He did so much, so fast that even if inclined Congress could not keep up. It was an impossible task. President Trump needs to do the same.
Does the debt ceiling provide leverage to Trump to allow him to triage spending cuts v. Congress having that power in passing an omnibus spending bill?
I am overjoyed that President Trump won the presidential election, and thank God for it.
But folks, we must get about the business of electing congressmen that will equally honor the will of their constituents. The congress is, with notably few exceptions (and I mean very few), beholden to special interest money and congressional “leaders” who direct funds toward or away from re-election campaigns depending on how they march to the tune of said “leaders,” who are always bargaining to maximize political contributions and increase their own influence and power (think McConnell and Schumer – birds of a feather).
They have set rules and laws that virtually assure their incumbency; they have voted themselves perqs, lucrative pensions, free medical, subsidized or free fitness facilities and restaurants, slush funds to pay hush money for their illicit sexual dalliances, significant salary increases well above what anyone in private sector would receive (regardless of their job performance) and all manner of other goodies – who wouldn’t want to stay there forever?
This is what we must ultimately deal with – the only way to purge congress of the crooks in it now is to install people who do not view it as a career choice, but rather a service to the district for a short season. Repeal 17A, return election of senators to the state legislatures, and fix all congressional salaries based on job performance. If spending exceeds receipts they should be required to take a cut in pay equivalent to the percentage of deficit spending. That one reform alone will either curb spending or run the criminals out of town, or both. I’ll go now.
The plan is to remove the administrative states power by executive order. This can be done by placing the power back in congresses lap where it belongs. The Supreme Court has already ruled on this, the plan would prevent future presidents from rolling back Trumps work .
Dr. Steve Turley lays it out nicely here:
But this article makes a good point:
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2024-11-27/doge-dead-government-expenditures
Basically: The federal debt self-amplifying feedback loop has passed the point of no return, increasing exponentially now, it will take everything down within a few years regardless, and even if DOGE cut $2T/year from spending it won’t stop it – in fact, at this point, drastically cutting spending is going to hasten the crash because the economy is propped up by the spending, the real foundation – industry – has withered.
So some have suggested that DOGE may be a Trojan Horse – it won’t stop the exponentially growing debt, but it WILL cause chaos, distress, and disruption, adding to chaos, distress, and disruption. That sounds like an Alinsky play, doesn’t it?
I guess it’s time to change the nom de plume to Blaque Peel, or something.
I also think it’s (1) a data mining operation and (2) a chance to apply AI religion to government. Re #1 — Elon/Vivek say in their WSJ op-ed that they want to gather info on federal employees that is currently buried in “antiquated siloes.” Imagine if one of the Lawfare cult (e.g. Mary McCloud) made that pronouncement, would we be so thrilled? Elon and Vivek should not be presumed to be White Knights here; they’re making a grab for sensitive government information akin to the Chinese hacking the OPM database. Why would we even believe Elon has fidelity to the United States. Because, out of know where, he bought Twitter and soon after latched onto Trump? Let’s keep clear eyes here.
And re #2 — the WSJ op-ed says they will use “advanced technology” to identify “thousands” of “illegal” rules that will be frozen and rescinded. So, they’re going to run algorithms to purge federal regs they don’t like. Again, imagine Brennan or Clapper announcing such a venture. I really hope that readers here can see the storm clouds gathering. Such a tool could be used by a rapacious Big Tech megalomaniac to literally craft an administrative state pliable to his OWN interests. Suddenly, small business can’t get permits or licenses because the implementing regs they needed are stripped. Application processes all over government are thrown into disarray, and there are no personnel to complain to or hold accountable (But helpfully you can interact with a ChatBot). “Streamlining” can also means “one size fits all” which can mean many people get screwed by an unyielding state. If the “files” are now aggregated into a centralized tracking and monitoring system …is that really a good thing? Beta test for the larger citizenry? Federal government easily could become even more of a centralized, dystopian tech nightmare.
None of this is good. The idea that they’ll finish all this up by July 2026 is laughable — but perhaps the real objective is to create chaos, distrust, and bitterness while billionaire tech bros ride off with newly-tested AI tools and a swath of valuable data.
“Let’s keep clear eyes here.”
Is the Republic lost? Everyone wants cool new kings and tyrants to replace the ones we have now. Government must not and should be made more efficient. It needs be pruned, replanted and regrown.
Triage is needed. Amputation, resections, transfusions, not brain MRIs.
Latching massive server systems, running rules-based algorithms, onto all the government databases and software systems is akin to letting one monster parasite devour all the little ones.
And then what about the processing of the data and the output? Using AI to analyze and find results is efficient and easy changed/adapted – even on the fly. AI is simply rules-driven programming. But, who is going to write the rules by which government will tax, regulate, prosecute, and imprison citizens?
Absolutely all of Congress, courts, and federal bureaucrats and their institutions are wholly corrupt. They get away with it because they operate without the consent of the governed. How does Musk plan to get our consent to be ruled by his AI-rules?
You are asking the right questions about DOGE. The problem with our government is not in the data. It is the people with power and unlimited funding. We do not need AI to know our blood is being drained. Start at 1000-foot level. First wholesale elimination of departments like Dept of Education. EPA, BLM. Then start with programs that are pure graft and funding our demise, like all NGOs, Faith Based initiatives. Then demand across the board cuts in all depts. Not just funding cuts but the elimination of services.
Then, no borrowing, No foreign aid. No money to States. No money to cities. Flat taxes. No income tax withholding – force people to write 4 figure check to the bloodsuckers every month.
Starve the beat. Don’t instrument it. Don’t make it more efficient.
The wrinkle is we actually *do* need many, many government functions, and things like permitting and licensing and food standards and even community planning and building codes … I hate that crap as much as anyone, but we do need a lot of it. But it should just be as decentralized, localized, and responsive as possible. Systematic top-down “review” of rules using algorithms I fear will do the opposite. Replacing one leviathan with another. And the new one will be less human.
I agree, government “efficiency” should not be the goal. Hearing the likes of Elon Musk utter that goal should send a chill down all of our spines. Responsive, participatory, little “d” democratic government is not the same as “efficient.” Starving it isn’t exactly a great goal either (though perhaps a necessary step). We need to realign the incentives and purposes. Politics shouldn’t be a career, and government should be re-oriented around actual service — not around access and power.
I am still attempting to wrap my head around how Pirogie Boy earned a Ranger tab.
How Fraudsters Are Bilking the Government Out of Billions of Dollars | Odd Lots
Can Elon Musk Cut Two Trillion Dollars From the US Budget?
I could, so yea.
Waste in government is massive. I assume DOGE will publish individual items of waste on X and that the waste items will be so egregious that no one will defend it. Sunlight will most likely be what DOGE brings. That sunlight will generate massive public outrage that will shame Cabinet members and Congress to act.
One thing Sundance doesn’t mention….
Declassification, document dumps, and information reveals. The Epstein and Diddy client lists.
The public is now primed and ready to believe that the media has hidden key information and intentionally lied to them for decades. The public knows govt is corrupt, and it wants accountability.
PDJT has a BOATLOAD of leverage over the “6 ways to Sunday” crowd.
”Play nice, and I might just let you survive and keep your govt job, for now. Otherwise, FAFO.”
Remember, as POTUS Trump can declassify and reveal anything….including anything that happened while he was 45.
Makes one wonder why on various fronts djt is tipping the hand before necessary with things like doge that at least publicly could have waited to mid-January.
As for doge, while it’ll have an advantage that past efforts (recall one under newt that tried this), didn’t, namely higher visibility when naming and shaming really obvious and dumb pet-projects (to the tune of low mult-millions or less), I have my doubts it’s gonna find much success when it comes to multi-billion dollar largess involving more than just a single congress person or very small subset, but we’ll see, don’t know till you try.. yet again I suppose.
I do find it odd and a little comical the worlds richest guy on paper, who’s companies also have large government contracts is it’s top figurehead. 😉
”they will predictably seek comfort behind the protection of the lobbyists who fund the RNC, and the skirt of John Thune”
I would seriously like to see these lobbyists banned from Washington DC and the politicians, especially Big Pharma and the Military Industrial Complex.
I would also like to see term limits of 12 years.
I truly believe this is the only way we will ever see true “Representation”…a gal can dream!
It’s such an exciting time. The next couple of years could bring amazing changes in our world.
What is very different this time around is that President Trump has support that he didn’t have before. Chiefly that is Elon Musk. But even “media” is different because of Twitter/X and people like Tucker, Joe Rogan, and all the new podcasters. What else is growing is the huge energy wave from young people trying to figure out how they can make a life in the shambles of our economy. Remembering these things will help motivate when we perceive set backs and problems.
Besides being aware of political events, we must look at the changes the President is bringing and make use of them. We need to focus in growing MAGA at the local and state levels, mainly because that is where we can influence change.
For example, if all education goes back to the states, let’s ask ourselves how can we use that change to grow MAGA. This is just one possibility we could work on but the idea is the same for all the changes coming.
We need to shift from trying to do President Trump’s job (our old habit if being spectators who kibitz) and start looking at how to leverage what President Trump does — how to expand the impact.
I watched Sen Ernst interview with Finnerty tonight on Newsmax. She displayed that hard 1000 yard stare with her eyes, like don’t get in my way, and you couldn’t help but notice her smile. It is forced… She danced around some hard questions asked by Finnerty, i.e., are you going to support Hegseth. I don’t trust her at all… She is the female clone of Mitch…
I listened to another interview with Attorney Jeffrey Clark on The Epoch Times program, “Thought Leaders.”
It seems very clear Trump will push and use all his Executive Powers and Privileges to the MAX and the DecptiCONS will challenge them at every opportunity, drag out the litigation until The Supreme Court makes a Decision.
An example: Our Constitution, written by many of our future Presidents had all of their CHOICES, Confirmed as Executive Officers in 1 day, and ready to serve The President on Day 1.
What occurs now is not what the Founding Fathers envisioned nor is it what they practiced.
The duty of the Senate to Advise and Consent has become “Borking” High Tech lynchings” “Duels with Tears and Fury” “Harassment Hearing”
What happened? I don’t know. I know a few Supreme Court Justices familiar with Senate’s Advise and Consent process.
The legislative branch appropriates funding. The Executive branch with the President as CEO totally controls the actual spending, or not spending, of those funds. The President has enormous power. The power to bring uncooperative Senators to heel. I have a feeling the spigot of spending is going to be turned off to Kentucky very soon and it’s not going to be restored until a certain Senator cooperates. Same thing with South Dakota.
Hopium.
However, I suspect the probability is high that (1) intelligence agencies have something on many, many Congress critters, and (2) Trump will gain access to this info. Do not be surprised if there is a sudden rash of resignations, acquiescence, and arrests and charges for nefarious acts. Hopefully McConnell and Demonic and uniparty members will be at the top of this list. Congress a year from now may be quite different. So let it be.
One precedent for DOGE is the base reduction after the end of the cold war. Military bases or defense contractors were built in almost every congressional district just for political support. They did come to terms which were eventually agreed upon, although I don’t know the details.